LOVE RANCH

US, 2010, 117 minutes, Colour.
Helen Mirren, Joe Pesci, Sergio Peris- Mencheta, Gina Gershon, Taryn Manning, Scout Taylor- Compton, Bai Ling, Elise Neal, Bryan Cranston, Melora Walters, Harve Presnell.
Directed by Taylor Hackford.

Love Ranch is loosely based on the real story of the Confortes who opened The Mustang Ranch in Nevada, a legal brothel. There are quite some parallels with the fictional characters of this film and the Confortes and their attempts to promote a boxer.

The Love Ranch is owned by Joe Pesci as Charlie Bontempo (Goodtimes) with his wife, Grace (Helen Mirren). They are directed by Helen Mirren’s husband, Taylor Hackford (White Nights, Blood In, Blood Out, Ray). Sergio Peris- Mencheta plays the boxer from Brazil.

The film shows the workings of the brothel – but with an M-rating tone rather than anything beyond. The women who service the clients are played by Gina Gershon, the adviser to Grace, Taryn Manning, Scout Taylor- Compton, Bai Ling, Elise Neal.

Joe Pesci reprises the familiar persona that he has portrayed on screen, especially in Goodfellas. A small man, puffed up, moving around the ranch as if he was God’s gift to humanity. However, he has served a prison sentence, cannot register as the manager of the boxer that he wants to take on, persuading his wife to do so. He also is in relationships with various of the women at the Love Ranch. Ultimately, he is a selfish man, unable to hear that his wife has terminal cancer. He finishes up shooting the boxer that he promoted.

Helen Mirren moves through the film with her customary aplomb – with Pesci at one stage asking whether she thinks she is the queen of England! (Remembering The Queen and her role as Elizabeth I in the miniseries.

The film has a strong boxing sequence – which is complicated by the story of the boxer and his previous injuries. The main impetus of the second part of the film is Helen Mirren falling in love with the boxer, exasperated with him at times, being advised to go into the affair – and its changing her attitude, especially towards her husband.

1. The title, the euphemism? The fact of the Mustang Ranch and the Confortes?

2. Taylor Hackford and his work, working with Helen Mirren? Joe Pesci and his screen persona? The Latin American boxer?

3. The visuals of the ranch, the interiors, the exteriors, the detail? The Nevada countryside? The boxing atmosphere and bout? The musical score?

4. The focus on Grace, her mother’s attitude towards life, the prostitute, accepting her background? The setting up of the Love Ranch? Marrying Charlie? Twenty years, her life, managing and controlling the brothel? With the women? The clashes with Charlie? Her realistic attitude towards life, the law, the clients? Coping?

5. Her visit to the doctor, the diagnosis, the cancer? Her difficulty in telling Charlie? His not believing it?

6. The women who worked at the Love Ranch, Irene and her advice for Grace? Mallory and the others and their jealousies? With Charlie? Rivalry? The brothel atmosphere, the range of clients? The Nevada legal situation?

7. Charlie and his character, style, philandering, the girls and their rivalry, catty and jealous? Grace condoning his behaviour?

8. Charlie’s interest in boxing, the champion from Brazil, his hopes, the interviews, press conferences, the setup for the fights? The entrepreneur style? Having to have Grace as the official manager? The deals, the hopes, Grace going to see Armando and his training?

9. Armando, the training sequence, his reputation, the fights, the arrangements, his looks, the publicity?

10. Armando and his relationships, his family in Brazil, with Grace, talking, the attraction, the effect? Grace and her being confused? The drive, letting Armando off in the desert?

11. The fight, the hard bout, the difficulties, the opponent? Armando and his comeback, the knockout? The news about the plate, dangers if he were to box again?

12. Grace, allowing herself to be seduced by Armando? The affair, the change in her life, her decisions?

13. Talking with Charlie, his reactions, disbelief – and his shooting Armando?

14. Grace, her health, the future? Leaving Charlie? Leaving the Love Ranch? A new, if limited, life?